2018 Architectural Business Plan Competition

Rules and Eligibility

Who Can Participate:

The competition is open to registered architects in the United States and Canada, excluding Quebec. The competition is void in Quebec and where prohibited.

Although past competition registrants may participate, past finalists, jury members, Charrette Venture Group partners, and Charrette Venture Group employees and their immediate family members are not eligible.

Individual, or team submissions, are permitted, however, at least one member of the team must be a registered architect.

Business plans may be submitted for design firms that are not yet in business, however, preference will be given to those plans that suggest a serious possibility of launching within at maximum one year.

All entrants and team members, if applicable, must be legal residents of the United States or Canada and must be 18 years or older at the time of entry.

Rules for Entrants:

No purchase or payment of any kind is necessary to enter or win the competition.

All entries must be received by the deadlines listed in the competition timeline.

All entries must be the original work of the individuals or team submitting them.

All entries must be submitted in English.

To participate in the competition, entrants must first register on this website by completing the competition’s registration form.

The Judging Process:

Only entries that fully comply with the competition rules and that cover all seven items listed above will be forwarded to the jury for consideration.

Fifteen semi-finalists will be selected from registrations. Semi-finalists will be interviewed to gather more information about their plans.

Five finalists will be selected. Finalists will present their business plan via video conference to the jurors. Jurors will select one winner, or one winning team.

There is no guarantee that any entrant will receive an award. If the jury determines that no entries meet these rules or if no entries have a reasonable chance for success, the jury reserves the right to not award any prizes.

The Prize:

The Best Overall prize winner will receive cash and prizes valued at approximately $5,000 including travel and lodging for at least one member of the winning entry, or team, to be in New York City during the 2018 AIA National Convention.

All taxes associated with the prize are the sole responsibility of the prize winner.

Confidentiality and Indemnity:

All entries will be treated as confidential. The only persons with access to the entry materials will be the jury members and employees of the Charrette Venture Group. Entries will not be intentionally shared with any other party except with the approval of the entrant.

Entrants will be asked to sign an additional participation form acknowledging their understanding and agreement with these competition rules and discussing the terms under which, if selected as a finalist or winner, their name or information may be used for promoting the competition in future years.

Decisions by the competition jury and administrators (including regarding eligibility of entrants and their submissions, selection of finalists and winners, judging of entries and award of prizes) will be final and binding in all respects on the entrants.

By entering the competition, each participant forever and irrevocably releases, indemnifies and holds harmless the competition jury, Charrette Venture Group, LLC, and their respective directors, officers, employees and agent from and against all liabilities, damages, and claims arising out of: (a) entrant’s participation in the competition or competition-related activities; (b) entrant’s representations and agreements in the competition rules and/or the official contest registration/entry form or any breach thereof; (c) entrant’s award, receipt or use of any prize awarded in the competition; (d) entrant’s entry and submissions; and (e) entrant’s injury, loss or damage of any kind in connection with the competition.

The competition sponsors reserve the right to change or amend these rules at any time.